


Count Your Blessings

by NeverAndAlways



Series: In a Little While [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Childbirth, Complete, Domestic Castiel/Dean Winchester, Gen, M/M, Married Castiel/Dean Winchester, Married Couple, Mpreg, Not Beta Read, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pregnancy, Pregnant Castiel, Pregnant Sex, Sequel, dean is a geek, only a little, references to star trek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-04
Updated: 2015-09-18
Packaged: 2018-04-07 16:17:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 16,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4269867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeverAndAlways/pseuds/NeverAndAlways
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to 'Careful What You Wish For'</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Is it possible to turn off your emotions? Those guys from Star Trek do it (what were they called? Vulpix? Vortex? No, Vulcans). Maybe Castiel is a Vulcan. How else could he be so calm right now? They're about to leave their son in a room full of kids he doesn't even know!

"Okay, buddy. You gonna be good for Ms. Hines today?" Matteo nods solemnly. "So I'm not gonna hear any stories about you biting other kids, right?" he shakes his head just as solemnly. "Alright. Rock on." Dean gives Matteo a high-five and steps aside; it's Cas' turn. He kneels in front of the little boy.

"Kissing hand." he says, and Matteo dutifully holds out his hand. This is a ritual of theirs. Cas plants a kiss in the center of his son's palm, and quickly but gently folds the fingers around it as if to hold in the kiss. Then he smiles. "We will see you this afternoon."

"Go get 'em, tiger." adds Dean. With barely a backward glance, Matteo hustles into the classroom (still holding onto the kiss). Dean and Cas watch him go. All around them, similar rituals are taking place: hugs and kisses and reluctant goodbyes. They wait until the last kid has filed into the classroom, then turn to leave. Or at least Cas does; Dean lingers by the door. Cas slips his hand into his husband's.

"Dean, let's go."

"I'm gonna watch him for a minute. Make sure he's okay."

Cas smiles at his husband's concern. "He's fine."

"I know, I just don't want him to feel abandoned-"

"Dean, look at him. Does he look like he feels abandoned?" Cas points inside to a rug in the far corner. There's Matteo, building a block tower with one of his classmates. They're talking and laughing; he looks perfectly happy. "He is safe. He is having fun." says Cas gently. "As far as he knows, we have already left."

Dean turns away slowly, as though it's physically painful. "Alright...alright." Cas gives his hand a squeeze, and together they walk away down the hall.

 

ooo

 

It's October; Dean and Cas have been married for about two months now. This whole domestic thing seems to agree with them. Dean has gone back to work, Cas is job-hunting, and now Matteo has started preschool. That last bit is going to take some getting used to.

"How come you aren't worried?"

They've just gotten home, and Cas is fussing around the apartment picking up Matteo's detritus. The kid is like a miniature whirlwind. He pauses at the sound of Dean's voice, and shrugs.

"How do you know I'm not?"

Dean snorts. "I was right, you **are** a Vulcan."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Star Trek thing. Guys who can turn off their emotions."

Cas shakes his head, half-amused, half-exasperated. "I am not a Vulcan, Dean. I'm not concerned because I know Matteo will be okay."

"How do you know?"

"Because I trust our judgement, and I trust his teacher. And I don't understand why you are still so concerned."

"I dunno, maybe because he's our kid?" says Dean over his shoulder.

"He's fine, Dean. It's just preschool."

Dean comes out of the bedroom, hidden under a hoodie from the shoulders up. "Yeah, I know, but-" he pulls the hoodie over his head to find Cas standing right in front of him. He startles; Cas moves a little closer.

"No buts. Stop. Worrying." Cas punctuates his words with a kiss. "Matteo will be home in just a few hours. And until then...I would like to spend some time with my husband." his eyes are hooded; there's a definite point to that sentence. Dean laughs, low and dark.

"And here I thought I'd hafta keep **you** from worrying." he says, and then a kiss prevents any further words.

 

oOo


	2. November

Thanksgiving has come around again, and it's time for the annual get-together. Matteo's excited, as any self-respecting three-year-old would be at the promise of good food. His dads are looking forward to it as well, but more for the people than the food. The get-together is sort of a family tradition now. For years Dean and Sam didn't even attend, preferring to keep to themselves since their father's death, but that changed the year Dean met Castiel. They've attended every year since.

"So, you lookin' forward to seeing everyone?"

"Uh-huh! I wanna see Gramps, an' Ellen, an' Miss Jo, an' eat lotsa turkey."

"Just turkey? Nothing else?" Dean teases.

"Noooo. Turkey an' stuffing and mash potatoes an' stuff." Matteo digs a coloring book out his bookshelf. With no other kids in the family, he's learned how to keep himself entertained.

"What about uncle Sam's fancy salads? D'you like those?" Matteo grimaces at the suggestion. "Yeah, me neither...you gonna take your dinosaur to show Ellen?"

"Oh yeah!" out comes the toy box; can't forget the dinosaurs!

"You can take **one** dinosaur with you, okay?"

"'Kay." Matteo pauses, cocks his head. "I think Daddy said something."

Did he? Dean looks over his shoulder. "Cas? Did you call me?"

A slightly muffled voice comes from the bedroom. "Yes. I need your assistance."

"Okay, I'll be right there." Dean turns back to his son. In the space of a few seconds, the kid managed to cram all his dinosaurs into his backpack; a T-rex, a brachiosaurus, a pterodactyl, and a triceratops leer out at Dean from between the zippers. He frowns. "Hey, did I say you could take **all** your dinosaurs?" Matteo nods hopefully. "Uh-uh. I said you could take ONE. Take those other guys out." he waits until Matteo complies, then puts a hand on his shoulder to get his attention. "We're gonna leave for Gramps' house in fifteen minutes; I want you to be ready by then. That means shoes on, bag packed, ready to walk out the door. Capiche?"

"Yeah."

"Alright. Your dad and I are gonna finish getting ready, but I'll come back to check on you." with that, Dean gets up and pads away down the hall. When he gets to the bedroom, he finds his husband standing half-dressed in the middle of the room; Cas has one arm in his dress shirt, and is shuffling in circles trying to reach the other sleeve. He catches Dean's eye in the mirror.

"Help...?" he says lamely.

Dean snorts with amusement. "I dunno, looks like you're doin' just fine on your own."

Cas makes an exasperated noise and continues to flail around for his shirtsleeve. "Dean...!"

"Okay, okay, sorry. Hold still." Dean holds up the sleeve; Cas gratefully slips his arm into it. Then Dean moves around to face his husband and begins to slowly button up the shirt. Taking advantage of the closeness, Cas puts his arms around Dean's waist and steals a few kisses. They're short and sweet at first, but not for long; when he moves them to Dean's jaw and then to the hollow of his throat, Dean lets out an appreciative breathy sound. "Keep that up and we're never gonna get to Bobby's." he says darkly. Cas just smiles against his skin and presses another kiss to his jawline. Dean closes his eyes, tilts his head back. A few minutes couldn't hurt. His hands slip under Cas' shirt, running from hips to ribcage to chest and back. Moving to the front, they slow their rhythm, grazing over ribs and further down to Cas' stomach...he opens his eyes. "What's this...?" he says, half to himself.

Cas looks down to where Dean's hands rest on his midsection. "My navel." he deadpans. "You also have one."

Dean rolls his eyes fondly. "Smartass. I mean this." he presses his thumbs gently into his husband's abdomen. "You've got a belly...!" he smiles. And suddenly Cas freezes up.

He pulls his hands away from Dean's waist and fumbles with the buttons of his shirt. "No I don't." he says gruffly.

Dean cocks an eyebrow, a little taken aback by this sudden change in demeanor. "There's nothing wrong with that." he says soothingly. "I like it, it's adorable." he moves his hands to his husband's waist instead and tries to pull him closer, but Cas evades him and goes off to rummage in his nighstand for a hairbrush. Dean waits for him to walk by again, and steps smoothly in front of him. "Hey. What's eating you?" it's not like Cas to be so self-conscious. Something's wrong.

"Nothing." Cas sweeps past him again.

"Really? 'Cause you shut down pretty damn fast just now." Dean grabs his jacket from the end of the bed and pulls it on. "Cas, if I offended you, I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd be self-conscious about-"

"I'm not." Cas says from the mirror, where he's fighting a losing battle with his hair.

"Well, then what is it? You're acting like I just insulted you."

"It's not you, Dean." his husband says sharply. He scowls at his abdomen in the mirror. His free hand comes up to rest, palm-down, just below his navel. Dean opens his mouth to pry further, but stops short. That movement, that one little protective gesture, sparked something deep in his brain. He saw it once before, almost exactly three years ago when-

When he'd found out Cas was pregnant.

His eyes widen. "Cas...?" he walks up behind his husband.

"Now what?"

Dean swallows hard. "Are...are you pregnant...?"

Cas' gaze doesn't move from his reflection. His expression grows distant. "Yes." he said quietly.

And the bottom drops out of the world. Dean is overjoyed and terrified and sick to his stomach all at once. It's several moments before he can speak again, and the only word that comes out is a quiet little "Oh." Cas meets his gaze in the mirror; he looks almost offended.

"'Oh'? That's it, just 'oh'? I thought you would be happy."

"I am, Cas, I absolutely am. It's fantastic." Dean soothes. "How...how far are you...?"

Cas closes his eyes. "...Three months." he says in a small voice.

...Oh. "And that's why you didn't tell me?" Cas nods mutely. Dean puts his arms around his husband and feels him draw a shuddering breath. "Hey, shh. We can do this, it's gonna be okay."

"I can't do it again, Dean." Cas says thickly. "If it happens again, I don't- I can't..." he presses the heels of his hands into his eyes.

"It's not gonna happen again."

"How do you know?" Cas lowers his hands to glare at Dean.

"'Cause we're going to do everything we can to make sure it doesn't." Dean slides his hands down to rest on Cas' midsection. "This is ours, Cas, you and me. We're gonna get through this, and we're gonna have a beautiful, **healthy** kid." he pauses, trying to read Cas' expression and hoping his bravado covers up how scared he is. Just for good measure, he plants a kiss behind his husband's ear. "We're havin' a baby, Cas."

Finally Cas cracks a smile. A small, teary smile, but a smile nonetheless. He takes another shaky breath, lays his hands atop Dean's, and says quietly, "Yes."

-

They tell their news to no one. Not Sam, who asks Dean several times what he's grinning about; not Bobby, who comments that it's nice to see him and Cas in a good mood; not even Matteo. They'll tell when they're ready, when they're sure everything's okay. For now, it's their secret to keep.

oOo


	3. December

So Cas is pregnant.

He knows he should be happy, but he's too busy being terrified. Every twinge, every dizzy spell and bout of nausea has him on-edge. He's a nervous wreck. It's like navigating a minefield blindfolded; he doesn't know what caused him to miscarry last time, so how can he possibly know what to avoid this time?

Three months, twenty-one days: that's when it happened. It's the longest day of his life when it comes around again. He tries to put it out of his mind, but it keeps coming back, like that one song that just won't quit. So he offers up prayer after prayer instead - something he hasn't done in a few years, but it's the only thing that makes sense. He repeats the same prayers over and over like a mantra: please keep my baby safe, please let it be healthy. He wants so badly for it to take, if only so he won't have to go through that again. And someone upstairs must have heard him, because they day passes without incident. That's one hurdle cleared...now he just has to get through the rest of the first trimester.

-

It's Cas' turn to pick Matteo up from school. This has quickly become his favorite part of the day; he loves spending time with Matteo and hearing his stories. And there are always lots of those.

"...And I played tag with Hayley an' Jason an' Naia, an' at music time, Ms. Hines said I sing really good-"

"Really **well**."

"-said I sing really well!" Matteo trots along beside Cas, just a kid-shaped bundle of hat and coat and scarf and boots and mittens. It's a cold one today. He puffs clouds of steamy breath into the air when they stop at a crosswalk. Sequins gleam on a popsicle-stick Christmas tree in his hand: his latest arts-and-crafts masterpiece. He continues. "Then at recess I saw a really pretty bird in the sky! It was big an' black, an' it was flying like-" he spreads his arms like wings - at least, the one wing that isn't holding hands with his dad - and makes a loud whooshing noise to demonstrate. "An' it went around and around and around in circles."

Cas laughs. His son can make even the most mundane things sound exciting; he loves it. "It sounds as though you had a busy day."

"Uh-huh." they dash through another crosswalk. "Guess what!"

"What?"

"Laura said, um, said that she's getting a baby sister!"

"That's nice. She must be very excited."

"Yeah!" Matteo contemplates his popsicle-stick creation for a moment. "...Daddy?"

"Yes, Matteo."

"Am I ever gonna have a little brother or sister?"

Cas stops short. Does Matteo know?? How could he know? Should I tell him?

"Daddy...?"

Cas has to take a few deep breaths before answering.

"...Maybe."

-

Steam wafts in Dean's face when he opens the bathroom door. Cas and his scalding-hot showers...he'll never understand it. He knocks once on the shower stall. "Knock, knock. 'S just me."

"Good morning, Dean."

"'Morning." Dean goes through the motions of getting ready for his own day: brush teeth, comb hair, shave, etc. He's right in the middle of the latter when the water turns off. A wet hand snakes out from behind the shower curtain, grabs a towel from the rack, and retreats; soon after, the curtain is slid aside and the rest of the body appears, towel-clad from the waist down. Dean glances at him in the mirror and wolf-whistles theatrically. Castiel rolls his eyes.

"You're in a good mood today." he says, tousling his hair dry.

"So are you. I heard you humming in there, Jingle Bells." there's no response to this, but Dean's sure he sees a blush under that towel. He squirts some shaving cream into his hand and starts spreading it on his face. "You feeling any better?"

"Starting to." the past week has been a tough one - it seems mild vertigo is also a symptom of pregnancy. Cas pulls the towel off his head, and Dean snorts into his shaving-cream beard.

"Dude, your hair is fantastic!"

Cas squints at the fogged-up mirror. 'Fantastic' isn't quite the word he'd use for the damp tufts sticking up every which way from his scalp. He sighs and reaches for a hairbrush. By the time Dean has washed the foam off his face, he's mostly brushed it into submission.

"First day of Christmas vacation." Dean sighs happily. "I don't have to write a single goddamn line of code for the next two weeks."

"Indeed. You'll have to put up with your husband and son instead." Cas smirks as he pulls on his jeans. He goes to put on a T-shirt next, but Dean gestures to his own hoodie.

"You're gonna want something warmer, Cas, it's colder than brass monkeys out there."

Cas makes a face. "'Brass monkeys'...?"

"Never mind." Dean waves a dismissive hand. His husband shrugs and shuffles away to the bedroom, but suddenly something dawns on him. "Cas, hang on. Come back for a minute." Cas reappears, T-shirt still slung over his arm; Dean beckons him closer. Then he stands back a few steps and looks Cas up and down.

"Are you looking for something in particular, or simply admiring?" Cas says, his tone implying that he'd rather not be admired right now.

"No, I just...Cas, you've got a bump!" a grin spreads slowly over Dean's face. Cas blushes in earnest and looks at his feet. He does indeed have a bump: it's subtle, just a slight half-teardrop swell behind his navel, but unmistakably there. Looking at it, he feels...well, not what he expected to feel. Shouldn't he be happy? Or at least pleasantly surprised? When he was pregnant with Matteo, he remembers, he was so excited when he first started to show. Now, there's just the stab of anxiety he's come to associate with this pregnancy.

Dean, on the other hand, is clearly delighted. He stands in front of Cas and hovers his hands over the bump, as though afraid to touch it. This is uncharted territory for them. "Can I...?" Cas nods. That's all the encouragement Dean needs; slowly, almost reverently, he lays one palm flat on Cas' belly, then the other. His hands are cold. He stands this way for a few breaths, then suddenly sinks to his knees and rests his forehead between his hands. He's muttering softly and for a moment Cas thinks he's praying. Then he realizes with a jolt that he's talking to the baby. His breath catches in his throat. He can't make out any words - maybe he's not supposed to - but his eyes prickle with tears all the same. 

 When Dean eventually lifts his head and meets Cas' gaze, there are stars in his eyes. He surges to his feet, tries to move in for a kiss, but Cas beats him to it. There's an electricity in that kiss that hasn't been there before. Even after they separate they just stand there, foreheads together, for several minutes.

"We're havin' a baby, Cas." Dean says quietly. It's a phrase Cas has heard a lot lately. But, he thinks, he almost believes it now. He allows himself a small smile and gets another kiss in response. Dean huffs a short laugh. "Merry Christmas, huh?"

Now Cas really smiles. "Merry Christmas."

oOo


	4. January

Snow piles around Dean's boots as he stands on the sidewalk. It's early January, and the year has gotten off to a cold start. Right now it's about 25 degrees; that's balmy compared to what it's been. He kicks the snow off. Garden of Eden Confectionery looms behind him, windows bright with sugary displays. Its logo, an angel with four golden wings, beams down at him from the door. His husband is in there somewhere. Dean himself is toying with the idea of going inside, but his brother-in-law is in there too and he doesn't really want to face him. So he pulls up his hood and waits.

While the outside of him slowly freezes, Dean's mind wanders. Gabriel is the starting point, but that's not a topic he particularly cares for; next stop is computers and code, his upcoming project, then on to other things until eventually, he settles on the topic that's been most on his mind: Castiel. He still can't get over the fact that Cas is pregnant. Dean is really going to be a dad. And they've made it to the second trimester now, so things can only get easier from here, right? For the moment things are - as far as Dean can tell - going well. Actually, now that he thinks about it, it's been pretty easy so far...is that normal? Isn't there supposed to be morning sickness, at least? He tries to push down the stab of fear that comes with that thought. Everything's fine, Dean. That's why you're going to the doctor. Cas is fine, and so is the baby. Keep telling yourself that.

The shop door jingles, interrupting his mantra. He turns around; Cas is standing in the entryway, winding a scarf around his neck. Dean smiles at the sight of him.

"Hey you."

"Hello, Dean."

It's too cold for a kiss, so Dean rests one gloved hand on the small of Cas' back as they set off to the bus stop. Cas hunches his shoulders against the cold. Under his trenchcoat (a Christmas present from Dean), his figure is becoming rather noticeably rounded.

"So." says Dean, after a while. "How'd it go?"

Cas sighs. It's the kind of sigh that says a lot. "As well as can be expected."

"D'you think you got the job?"

"It's hard to say...Gabriel said I'll know within a week." he pulls his hands from his pockets long enough to do air-quotes. "'Don't call us, we'll call you', et cetera." he contemplatively sniffs the air, then his sleeve. Then he wrinkles his nose. "I smell like chocolate."

Dean leans in and sniffs (and gets a whack on the arm for his trouble). "Smells good."

Cas wrinkles his nose again. "I believe the baby disagrees."

"How is Junior today?"

"Fine, I believe...I don't know." Cas shrugs. He's been carefully neutral about his pregnancy, as though he doesn't believe it's really happening yet. They step into the bus shelter, and he sits down on the narrow metal bench. Dean squeezes in next to him.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine." Cas folds his arms tightly above his belly. He's nervous, that much is obvious. "I would rather not talk about it."

That's that, then. Dean looks away down the street and watches the next snowclouds roll in. They wait for the bus in silence.

-

Cas is tense from the moment they step into the hospital. Dean could almost see the guy's heartrate go up (and he's one to talk). Not surprising, considering what was happening during their last visit. They check in and are passed person to person, department to department until (finally) they reach the OBGYN. That's when they really get nervous. All around them in the waiting room are young parents and parents-to-be, men and women who look happy and excited and not at all scared. How is that possible? Cas keeps a vice-grip on his husband's hand the whole time.

After an eternity of waiting, the door opens and a nurse emerges. "Castiel?" curious heads turn to see the owner of this unusual name; Cas tries to make himself small. The hallway he and Dean are led into is clean and bright-white, and the exam room even more so. The nurse ushers them in, takes Cas' vital signs, assures him that the doctor will be there soon, and vanishes. And they're left with only a ticking clock for company. Cas stares at his knees; his face is pale. There's an awful lot of fear in his eyes.

"Hey. You doin' okay?" Dean perches on the edge of the exam table. The crinkling paper sort of ruins the moment.

Cas just shrugs, the movement sliding his thin hospital gown off his shoulder. Dean slides it back. "It's gonna be okay." he says, reassuring himself as much as his husband. "I mean, we've made it this far, right?"

Still nothing...Dean gives Cas' knee a gentle squeeze. He doesn't know what else to do.

Suddenly the door cracks open. "Mr. Winchester...?"

They look up in unison. "Yeah?" calls Dean. The door opens wider, and in comes the doctor. She's a tall black woman with bright, shrewd eyes, high cheekbones, and long hair pulled into a tight bun. She introduces herself with a radiant smile. "I'm Dr. Adams; you must be Cas-teel?"

"Castiel, yes." he doesn't even wince at the mispronunciation.

Dean barely gets a chance to introduce himself. Cas is the main focus here. Dr. Adams boots up the sonogram machine in the corner and wheels it over to the exam table, asking him all kinds of questions as she goes. Is this your first pregnancy, how many weeks are you, any unusual symptoms, etc. She's good; in no time she has Cas laying back on the table, and is applying a blob of clear gel to his belly. She pauses. "You said you're sixteen weeks, right...?"

"Yes." the doctor makes a thoughtful noise. "Why, is something wrong?"

"No, no. You're just a bit big for four months, that's all." she smiles at his concern. "It's nothing to worry about. Promise." Cas lays his head on the thin pillow and sighs. He's still worried. The doctor, meanwhile, picks up the ultrasound wand and pushes a few buttons. "Okay, Castiel, take a deep breath for me. I'm gonna put this on your belly, it might feel a little weird." Cas does as he's told, and she presses the instrument to his belly. He gasps; she laughs. "I did tell you." a few more buttons click. Dean watches, torn between fascination and his earlier worry. The screen is dark, save for a space in the middle. Fuzzy gray images slide through this space as the wand moves across Cas' belly. They're mostly indeterminate blobs, but - oh my god. Suddenly he has to catch his breath: there on the screen, ghostly and half-transparent, is their baby. He hears Cas' sharp intake of breath; he's seen it too. The doctor smiles again.

"Found you." she angles the ultrasound, changing the image. The baby gives a little twitch as though startled by the movement.

"Is that it?" Cas' voice is rough.

"Yep. That's your baby. And everything looks good so far, too. Fingers and toes are all there...I don't see any abnormalities or defects..." she leans in closer to the screen, then back. "Would you like to know the sex?"

Dean and Cas lock eyes. They hadn't really thought about it, but they need as much certainty as they can get right now. "I, uh...I'm cool with that." says Dean. Cas nods his agreement.

"As am I."

"Alright, let's see..." a press of a button freezes the image. Another zooms in. Has that clock always been so loud? Finally she turns to Dean and Cas. "Looks like you've got a little girl on the way."

Dean beams like his heart might shine right through his chest. A girl - a daughter! He looks at Cas and finds his eyes misty. Any other time he would've teased him for being a sap, but he's in the same boat. A little girl...

"I just need to check the heartbeat and a couple other things, then you two are free to go." says the doctor gently. The words go right through Dean's head, but he nods anyway. He's left to his astonishment; Cas is watching the proceedings with interest. The doctor somehow highlights the baby's heart in blue and red to watch it beat, swivels the image around to look at her from all sides...suddenly Cas points to something on-screen.

"What is that?" in the upper corner is another blob of silvery-gray. The doctor peers at it.

"Probably just the placenta; could you turn on your side for a moment?"

He does so, still watching intently. The baby seems to be laying on her side as well, and she looks alien from this angle. The doctor continues moving the probe around, squinting at the screen. Her face is unreadable. The image changes a little more; is that-?

"Hm." the doctor sits back and turns another megawatt smile on her patient and his husband.

"What? Is something wrong?" Dean blurts out. She shakes her head.

"Not at all, but you'll want to get another crib...you're having twins."


	5. February

It's Tuesday, and that means breakfast with Sam. It's a tradition Dean and his brother started a few years ago to keep tabs on each other. Most of the time there's not much to talk about, but still. It's nice to just hang out. Today they're going to a little hole-in-the-wall cafe that Dean's been wanting to try. He heads off down the hall as soon as Cas leaves with Matteo.

"It's me, Sammy." he says to the door. Not much point in knocking. He hears footsteps (these walls are not soundproofed in the least), but it's not Sam who answers the door: it's Gabriel, clad only in shorts.

"'Morning, Dean." he smirks. "C'mon in, Sam-I-Am's still getting ready."

Great. Just how Dean wanted to start his day. He follows his brother-in-law inside. He's never been in here, but it's nicer than he expected. That's probably Sam's doing. Not much clutter, and the only piles he can see have been neatly stacked...definitely Sam. Still smells faintly of candy, though; does that just follow Gabriel around?

Gabriel reappears from the bedroom, pulling on a T-shirt. "He'll be out in a sec."

"Okay."

Now Gabriel goes into the kitchen, and comes out holding a poptart. He takes a bite. "So." he says through the crumbs. "What's up with Cassie these days?"

Dean squints. He doesn't like that knowing look. "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean." another bite of poptart. "I know my little brother, Dean; something's goin' on. What is it?" Gabriel leans against the wall and arches an eyebrow.

It takes Dean a few moments of mental wrestling to decide. He may not like Gabriel, but the news will come out sooner or later anyway...he reaches into his pocket. "I was gonna tell Sam first, but..." he pulls out a photo and hands it over. Gabriel studies it, turns it this way and that.

"This, uh...this is cool, Dean, but it explains absolutely nothing. What the hell is it?"

Suddenly Sam steps out of the hallway. "Hey Dean." he peers over Gabriel's shoulder. "What's that?"

"Hell if I know." he holds up the photo for examination.

Dean waits. Sam squints at the photo. Gabriel squints at the photo.

Suddenly Sam's eyes go wide. "...Holy shit. Dean, is this what I think it is?"

Finally. "I dunno. What do you think it is?"

"A sonogram...?"

"A what? Can somebody please tell me what's going on??" Gabriel says, not wanting to be left out.

"Cas is pregnant." Dean's had enough of waiting. He looks with satisfaction at the two stunned faces before him.

"...Come again?" Gabriel stares.

"You heard me."

There are a few more moments of shocked silence. Then, without warning, Sam launches himself on his brother with a shout. Dean lets out an undignified squawk of protest, but there's no escaping the six-foot Moose. "Dean, that's AWESOME! Congratulations!"

"I knew it. I KNEW it...!" Gabriel folds his arms and grins at his captive brother-in-law.

"Good for you." wheezes Dean. "Sammy, get the hell off me!"

"Sorry." Sam releases him, but still hovers like an excited kid full of questions. "I just- how far along is he? Is it going okay? Have you told Bobby yet, or Ellen, or Matt, or-"

"Sam, babe, slow down." Gabriel grabs his sleeve. "Let 'im breathe first."

"Actually, how 'bout breakfast first? I'll tell you later. Promise." as much as he wants to tell Sam everything, he's starving. Food takes priority right now.

Sam looks a little disappointed. "Fair enough." then, with a kiss for Gabriel, "See you in a bit."

"I expect a full report."

"You'll get one." Dean says over his shoulder. He can't leave that apartment fast enough. Breakfast, here we come.

-

The cafe is nice - decent food, all that. Sam gets a croissant; Dean gets pancakes. And they don't really talk. That's pretty standard, though, especially with the way Dean eats. There's no room for words. But the moment their plates are cleared away, Sam gets that laser-focus look in his eyes.

"So."

"Hm?" Dean looks at him over the rim of his glass.

"News. Cas. You promised."

"Yeah, I know..."

Sam grins. "Is he really pregnant?"

"No, it was a joke. April fools'." Dean rolls his eyes. "Yes, he's really pregnant."

"And...everything's okay?" he drops his voice as though they're talking about some horrible disease, not pregnancy. But now it's Dean's turn to grin.

"Better than okay. Sammy, we're having twins!" his voice goes up almost an octave, he's so excited. Sam's face lights up.

"Twins??"

"Yup. Two girls."

"Dean, that's fantastic. How's Cas feeling about it?"

"Excited. Nervous." he shrugs. "Hard to tell with him."

Sam leans forward. His smile dims just a little. "And what about you?"

"What about me?"

"You excited?"

Dean sighs. "Try 'terrified'." he thinks for a moment. "I'm excited, yeah, but...I'm scared, too, y'know? He's nineteen weeks; we're barely out of the woods. And if something happens, I dunno what it would do to him. I don't think he'd come back from it."

Sam takes a long drink of coffee. "I don't know much about pregnancy, Dean, but...something tells me you're gonna be just fine."

"Hm. Thanks, Nostradamus."

"No problem."

Their waitress - a smallish woman with mallard-green hair - comes by to give them their bill. Sam drains the last of his coffee while Dean crosses all the necessary t's. And a couple minutes later, Dean is $20 poorer and they're headed for home.

-

By the time they hit the lobby, their talk has turned to more everyday things. Gabriel's getting pretty serious about Sam (really? when is he ever serious about anything?); Cas is still jobless; Dean can't stand his new boss (some greasy British guy named Crowley; what the hell kind of name is that, anyway?); and Matteo has discovered the joys of swear words, much to his parents' dismay.

"...I dunno, Sammy. I know you really like 'im, but he wouldn't be my first choice..."

"Dean, you don't like him anyway. And if you'd actually get to know him, you'd see that he's a really good guy."

"I'll take your word for it."

They step into the elevator. Its only other occupant is a tiny old woman wearing the loudest sweater you've ever seen. She gives them a wide, gummy smile.

"All I'm saying," Dean lowers his voice to a whisper without quite knowing why, "is that you might wanna think hard about this before you commit to it. Don't roll your eyes at me, I'm serious!"

"Okay, **mom**."

"Hey." Dean smacks his brother upside the head, earning him a look of astonishment from the old woman. "I'm not kidding. You've been dating for what, a year?"

"Year-and-a-half." Sam grumbles, rubbing his head where Dean hit him.

"Exactly. Give it some more time before you decide to spend the rest of your lives together."

The elevator stops. The old woman teeters out into the hall, waving a cheerful goodbye. "Since when are you the expert?" Sam hisses once they're on their way again.

"Since I'm five years older than you, that's when." never too old to play that card. Works every time, too: Sam is quiet for the rest of the trip.

Finally, the elevator shudders to a halt. Dean has to trot down the hall to keep up with his 'little' brother. People never believe that Sam's the younger one...

"Hey, is Cas home?" Sam asks as they near Dean's apartment. Dean checks his watch.

"Should be. Why?"

"Can I say hi?"

"Sure."

It takes a few tries to get the door open. "Knock knock. 'S me and Sammy." calls Dean when they finally do. Castiel is sitting under a blanket on the couch, his nose in a book. He gets up to greet them. His condition is pretty undeniable now; it's amazing what a few weeks can do.

"Hey, bookworm." Dean gives his husband a smile as he takes off his coat.

"Hello, Dean. Sam."

"Hey Cas." all of a sudden, Sam descends on Cas just like he descended on his brother earlier. Cas stands motionless, looking rather like a startled bird. "I heard the news." whispers Sam. "Congratulations!"

"...Thank you." Cas' hands go straight to his belly once he's released. "I assume you will tell Gabriel?"

"Promised I would. I'm actually on my way back right now, but I wanted to say hi first."

"I see. Say hello to him for me."

"Will do." Sam waves goodbye to them both, and is gone.

Cas looks at his husband. "That was...strange."

"Yeah, well. That's Sam for you. How are the girls?"

"Fine, I suppose. I can't tell." Cas wanders back to the couch and sits down. Dean goes with him.

"What're you reading?"

"CONTACT. Carl Sagan."

Dean snorts with amusement. "Light reading, huh?"

"Mm." Cas thumbs through the book to find his page. Dean pulls the blanket over both of them.

"...You okay, Cas?"

Cas sighs. "I don't know if I want to tell everyone the news. Not just yet."

"What changed your mind?"

"I don't know." he stifles a yawn and leans into his husband.

That's nice and specific. "Well, we don't have to if you don't want to. Not even Matt." Dean puts an arm around Cas.

"No. No, I...I want to tell Matteo." Cas' voice is already fuzzy with sleep. "We owe him that." the yawn comes back for revenge, and wins.

"Okay." Dean has to fight back a yawn of his own. It really is contagious. "What about Bobby and Ellen? D'you wanna tell them yet?"

Nothing. "...Cas...?" Dean cranes his neck to look at his husband. Cas is dead to the world, his head pillowed on Dean's collarbone. Dean smiles and rests his chin on the top of his husband's head. He could do with a nap, anyway.

-

"Daddy! Daddy daddy daddy!!"

Matteo the three-foot hurricane comes tearing through the apartment door, straight to the couch. Cas just barely has time to sit up before the little boy careens into him. Dean calls to him from the doorway.

"Hey! Cool your jets, Matt!"

Matteo is too excited to listen. He hauls himself onto the couch, backpack and all, while Cas tries to scoot over. "Daddy, guess what!"

"What?"

Matteo whips out an envelope and brandishes it. "It's a surprise." he says in a conspiratorial stage-whisper.

"My goodness. I wonder what it is?"

"It's a **surprise!** " weren't you listening?

"We got a surprise for you too, buddy." Dean perches on the arm of the couch. Cas shoots his husband a pointed look as he opens the envelope. Inside is a card, decorated on the front with...something pink. Cas turns it around a few times while his son beams. Finally it reveals itself to be a fish, made out of cut-out paper hearts. He smiles.

"Surprise!" says Matteo, somewhat belatedly. "It's fer Valentines."

"It's lovely, Matteo. Thank you." Cas plants a kiss on his son's forehead. Matteo squeaks and tries to wriggle away off the couch, but Dean stops him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Hang on, kiddo. We got a surprise for you too, remember?"

The little boy dutifully sits back down. Dean and Cas exchange a glance. Then Dean holds out a photo. "What do you think this is?"

Matteo frowns at it. "A ghost?"

"No. Look, there's a nose, and that's a hand..." Cas points them out in the photo. Matteo's eyebrws shoot up his forehead.

"Is it a baby?"

"Yes. And there's another baby next to it, right there. And guess what?"

"What?"

"Those are your little sisters."

You can almost see the gears turning in his head. He looks at the photo, then at Cas, then back at the photo. Finally something clicks. His eyes go wide. "You're gonna have a baby??"

"Two babies." says Dean. "It's called twins."

"You're going to be a big brother."

He still looks dubious. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Look:" Cas pulls up his shirt, exposing his belly. "they're right there."

"Oh. Cool." another pause. "...Can I have a snack?"

oOo


	6. March

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: most of this chapter is NSFW!  
> (it's also one of the first NSFW scenes I've ever written, so bear with me)

Intimacy is a rare commodity when you have a kid. There's always the chance of being interrupted at just the wrong moment. So Dean and Cas have learned to take their time alone when and wherever they can - which is one benfit of Matteo starting school. Especially now, since Cas' quickly-developing pregnancy (and the hormones that go with it) has made him much more...affectionate than usual. Let's just say they're taking full advantage of their time together.

Dean shuts and locks the apartment door. It's 9:00; four hours until Matteo comes home. He calls to Cas.

"Hello, Dean."

Dean follows the sound to the kitchen. His husband is standing at the counter with the laptop, typing away. "Whatcha workin' on?"

"Job applications."

"Hm. Sounds fun. Can you take a break long enough to say hi?"

Cas sighs theatrically and turns to face him. "I suppose."

"I know, you hate me." Dean goes in for a hug. But Cas, it seems, has other ideas: he takes Dean's face in his hands and just about kisses him into next week. Once he's sure he still has his tonsils, Dean grins. "...Hello to you, too. What's the occasion?"

"Do I need an occasion?"

"Well, no, but it doesn't hurt to ask..." Dean lays his hand on top of Cas'. "actually, I wouldn't mind if you did that did that again."

Cas kisses as though they've been apart for months. He knows just which buttons to push; Dean's body is already taking an interest in the proceedings. He sighs into the kiss. "Mm. God, Cas..." Cas silences him with an open-mouthed kiss to the hollow of his throat - exactly the spot that turns him to mush. Suddenly his jeans are way too small. But two can play that game. He shifts his attentions away from Cas' mouth - a kiss on the jaw, a nip on the earlobe - and is rewarded with a soft, breathy sound. Cas' movements become hungrier, more straightforward. He's leading them toward their bedroom, and Dean lets himself be led.

No sooner is the door closed behind them than they tumble onto the bed, a tangle of limbs and hands working to get through clothing to the skin underneath. Dean's erection is straining at his jeans now, so that's the first thing to go. He fumbles with the zipper as Cas pulls off his shirt. At six-and-a-half months, his husband is starting to really look pregnant. He's gorgeous. His belly is big enough now that any closeness requires some maneuvering, but just running his hands over it, knowing that they created the two little lives inside it...he can't get enough. He peppers it with kisses, but before he can move on Cas slips out from under him. In one quick motion he's on top, sitting astride Dean's hips and pushing up his shirt. Dean raises his arms over his head. He hears the shirt hit the floor somewhere, then he has to catch his breath because Cas' mouth is on his throat again. He catches his husband's chin in one hand and brings him up for a searing kiss. His other hand wanders down past the curve of Cas' belly to take him in-hand. Cas whines and thrusts into him. Dean strokes him once, twice, then Cas bats him away and wraps his own hand around them both. The noise Dean makes then is just plain indecent. He shivers as Cas begins to move, setting a pace that will have them both over the edge in no time flat. "Fuck," he gasps. "Cas-" then Cas presses his thumb down in just the right spot, and he has no more words. All he can do is hang on.

Castiel reaches the finish line first, burying his face in his husband's shoulder with a deep groan Seconds later, Dean follows. As the last waves of orgasm fade, Cas slides off of him, and they lay side-by-side to catch their breath. Somehow they both get cleaned up and covered with a blanket. Cas drapes one arm across Dean's chest. Dean sighs. Not what he intended to come home to...not that's he's arguing, of course. He kisses his husband's forehead and smiles drowsily. "We should do that more often." he shuts his eyes.

Suddenly, through the haze of oxytocin, he registers that something's not right. Cas has gone very still against him; he's hardly even breathing.

"Babe...?"

Nothing. Dean turns over to face his husband. Cas is motionless, blue eyes wide and staring as though he's just had some awful epiphany. "Earth to Cas. Anybody home?"

Finally he lets out a shaky breath, but it almost sounds like he's been punched in the stomach. He presses his forehead against Dean's chest; reflexively, Dean puts an arm around him.

"Talk to me, Cas. What's wrong?"

Cas lifts his head, and he's - smiling? What the hell is going on here? "The twins..."

"What about them? Are they okay?"

"They're **moving**."

A small part of Dean wants to be annoyed (you almost gave me a heart attack just for that??). The rest of him grins just as big as his husband. He extends a hand, and Cas lays it on his belly. For a few heartbeats there's nothing, but then - then something flutters against his palm. His breath catches in his throat. That's their daughter. Cas sits up; Dean goes with him. There's a second flutter, lower down this time. Her sister. On a whim, Dean leans down and kisses the spot. "Hi girls." god, he could float right off the bed, he's so happy. He looks up at Cas. The guy's still smiling, but his eyes are brimming with tears. Dean kisses him too, for good measure. "Hey. What's with the tears?"

"They're there." Cas whispers. "I was so scared I wouldn't- that they wouldn't-" his voice breaks and he trails off.

"But they're okay, right? They're healthy, they're alive; we're gonna be okay." Dean brushes a few tears away with the pad of his thumb. Dammit, now he's going to cry too. He's never been so relieved. The worst is over; they're going to be okay.

They're going to be okay.

-

It's a typical March day: gray and wet. And when there's a restless preschooler in the house, what else can you do on a day like this but go to a movie? So Dean, Cas, and Matteo are all piled into the geriatric car and are crawling their way across the city.

It's been almost thirty minutes. The ride to the theater usually takes about fifteen. What is it about bad weather that turns people into bad drivers?

"We're going to miss the movie."

"No we aren't. We'll get there, Dean."

"Yeah, if people stop being dumbas-"

" **Dean**."

"-if, uh, people learn how to drive."

Matteo's already picked up 'son of a bitch' from Bobby, he doesn't need any more additions to his vocabulary. The kid hasn't even noticed, though; he's too busy looking out the window. He sits in his car seat, little legs kicking, while his uncle complains at the traffic.

"So how're the twins today?" asks Sam over his shoulder.

Cas puts a hand on either side of his belly. It's growing fast - and he still has two months left, almost three. "They are very active." he sighs. He has a feeling his ribs are going to be a frequent stomping ground.

"You're gonna have one busy apartment when they get here."

"Don't remind me." he leans back on the headrest and shuts his eyes.

"You okay?" Dean this time. Cas opens one eye.

"Fine. Resting." the girls want to be awake at night, so he has to catch his sleep during the day. Besides, it looks like they're going to be here for a while. Dean says something reassuring that he can't quite hear, and the conversation turns away from him. He loses it under the road noise.

Then he's drifting awake. Sam's voice: "...if he's really serious about it, but sometimes I can't even tell. And I don't wanna ask Castiel 'cause, y'know, he's got enough on his plate right now, but I feel like I need some kind of insight..."

Now he startles awake. Dean's voice this time: "...just missed it, buddy, but we can try again tomorrow. Uncle Sam's gonna take us to lunch instead, how's that sound?"

When he wakes up the third time, the car is quiet. Dean's head is on his shoulder and they're on the highway, still in traffic but moving somewhat. Rain and road noise make a pleasant sort of hiss, and the windshield wipers are a steady rythm on top of it. The girls are still active, but that's normal...Dean shifts, sensing that he's awake.

"Hey."

"Mm."

Nothing more after that, just companionable silence. And the occasional grumble from Sam. All the sounds of the road and the traffic around them fade into the background. After a while, they barely even hear the car horns.

They don't notice the screech of brakes and squealing tires, either, until it's right on top of them. And by then it's too late anyway.

oOo


	7. March - part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the medical inaccuracies in this chapter; I only know as much as I've been able to research.

Oh god oh god-

(ears ringing)

What on earth just-

(Matteo crying)

"Everyone okay?" (Sam's voice)

"Yeah, I think-" (Dean)

Slowly, gingerly, Castiel picks himself up from the floor of the backseat. A hand under his arm helps him up - Dean? Sam. He mutters his thanks.

"Are you okay?"

"I- I am unhurt. I think." he runs a hand over himself to be sure. Arms and legs all there; the back of his neck is scratched up and there's some broken glass in his collar, but that's superficial... "What happened?"

"Some sonofabitch rear-ended us." Dean growls.

"The road's so wet, they were probably hydroplaning..." says Sam, always the voice of reason.

"Yeah, well, hydroplaning or not, they just hit a car with a kid and a pregnant guy in it. They're gonna get a piece of my mind-" Dean twists around to look out the (shattered) back window, and swears again. "they're gone! They fucking drove away! Goddamn cowards."

Matteo interrupts this tirade by yanking on his sleeve. The poor kid's terrified: his face is red and streaked with tears, and if the sounds he's making are words, they're totally unintelligable. Dean's anger fizzles out just like that; he unbuckles his son from the car seat and lifts him into his arms, then opens the door and gets out to stand with him on the side of the road. Sam watches in silence. It occurs to Cas that he really needs a tissue. Or maybe a bedsheet.

"Sam."

"Hm?"

"You are bleeding."

Sam puts a hand to his nose. His eyes widen at the blood that drips onto his knuckles. "Damn."

"Here-" Cas fishes a kleenex out of his pocket and offers it to him.

"I'm fine." he says, but takes it anyway. Above the tissue, his hazel eyes stare searchingly at Cas. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes. Scratched and a little shaken, but-"

"What about the twins?"

Cas freezes. He was so rattled, he didn't even think about that. His hands fly down to his midsection. The twins have been so active today, but now - he moves his hands up and down his belly, to all the places the girls were kicking, and feels...nothing. Absolutely nothing. Fear stabs in his chest.

"Cas...?"

He meets his brother-in-law's gaze. His throat is dry; he shakes his head mutely.

Sam's expression shuts down. "I'm calling an ambulance." one hand digs his phone out of his pocket while the other rolls down the window. "Dean!" he thunders over the road noise.

"What?" Dean sticks his head in the door. His hair is frosted with raindrops, and Matteo's face is pressed into his collar.

"I'm calling an ambulance. We gotta get Cas to the hospital."

"Why, what's- Cas? What's goin' on?"

His voice still won't work properly; it comes out thin and sort of strangled. "I can't feel the twins. They aren't moving anymore." Now it's Dean's turn to freeze. His expression is one that Cas has seen too many times over the past year. He'd give almost anything to never see it again.

-

The ambulance ride is mostly a blur. There are paramedics buzzing around both him and Matteo, taking vitals and checking for injuries. It brings back memories, in a surreal kind of way. The last time he rode in an ambulance, he'd given birth barely fifteen minutes prior. All he remembers is feeling sore and wrung-out and exhausted. This time he's just scared out of his mind.

They give Matteo a clean bill of health, at least. He's rattled (of course he is), but he'll be okay. That's one weight off his chest, at least. But it's short-lived: they pull into the hospital, the doors open, then more paramedics appear and he's carted away again. Through the emergency room, down pristine white halls and into an equally-pristine room with an ultrasound in the corner. No one tells him where his husband is, or his son, but they have plenty of their own questions. Are you experiencing any cramping (no), any bleeding (no), any lightheadedness (no) or nausea (NO). At long last, the only helpful nurse in the place tells him they've sent for Dr. Adams and that Dean and Matteo are on their way. Finally.

Dean arrives before the doctor. In typical Dean fashion, he doesn't bother to knock, but Cas is too relieved to be annoyed. He just wraps his arms around his husband as though the contact might bleed away some of his fear.

"Where's Matteo?"

"Still being checked out. Sam's with him. What about you?"

"I don't know. Dr. Adams is on her way."

"Okay."

Silence. Another gurney rattles by in the hallway.

"...Cas, what if-"

"Don't." he doesn't even want to think about that. Not yet.

"Castiel...?"

"Speak of the devil." Dean murmurs into Cas' hair. He steps away from the gurney as Dr. Adams shuts the door behind her.

"I hear you were in a fender-bender." she pulls a small wheeled stool up to the gurney.

"Yes." his voice is shaking; he hopes she doesn't notice.

"God, you poor thing. Car crashes are scary enough even if you aren't pregnant." she smiles and puts her stethoscope in her ears. "I know the nurses have given you a run-down, but I'd like to have a look at you myself. Is that okay?"

Might as well, he thinks sourly. There might be one person in this building who hasn't seen every inch of me yet. But the doctor is gentle (even if she does ask the same damn questions as the nurses). She listens to his heart and lungs, checks his eyes, feels his belly. Everything seems to be in order. Then she produces a gadget that looks like a walkie-talkie with a microphone attached- a fetal doppler, she calls it. She presses the microphone part to the lowest curve of his belly and slides it around a bit. Suddenly a rapid whooshing fills the room, and she smiles.

"Is that-"

"A heartbeat."

Cas and his husband sigh almost in unison. A heartbeat is good - but it's still only one. The doctor is already moving the microphone, though, circling it around his belly in search of the second one. Finding it takes a full heart-wrenching minute. But find it she does, and it's strong and steady. Cas could pass out, he's so relieved.

"Well, Castiel," the doctor says, pocketing the device, "both heartbeats sound good; I think your girls are doing just fine. I'll want you to keep an eye on things for a few days, but you're free to go home."

Dean looks more than ready to go; he practically sprints for the door. But Cas hangs back. The ultrasound machine in the corner has caught his eye.

"May I..." he falters, takes a breath, tries again. "I want to see them." he heard the heartbeats, but he needs to see for himself. He needs to see that they're okay. Dr. Adams nods.

"Sure."

Dean comes back to perch on the end of the gurney while she prepares the machine. They're more or less used to the process now, what with Cas' monthly appointments. And yet, when the grainy image flickers onto the screen, they find themselves hardly breathing, just like at that first ultrasound. Cas puts his hands to his belly (getting ultrasound gel all over them in the process) and breathes a sigh of relief, and smiles and smiles. Baby A (the smaller of the two) squirms and throws a tiny arm over her face; her sister wriggles out of the way. Never have gray blobs looked more reassuring.

"Better?" asks Dr. Adams.

"...Yes."

-

Eventually, they do make it to lunch.

In a way.

It's just hastily thrown-together sandwiches at Sam and Gabriel's, but still. Lunch is lunch.

It's perhaps the only time Dean has ever seen Gabriel really quiet. He's chatty as usual when they first arrive, of course; but then something passes between him and Cas, something in sibling-language, and after that he backs off. He sits on one side of the table. Cas sits on the other side. And they don't talk. No one does, really - even Matteo, the little chatterbox.

When the tired family finally goes back to their own apartment, it's barely three. Feels like a whole day has passed. And they still have to figure out how to fix the damn car...god, they still have to tell Bobby about it. That won't be fun. He can just see it now: "Hi Bobby, how's it going- oh by the way, we totaled your car". Well, anyway, there are more important things right now. Dean settles on the couch with Matteo, and they watch the rainclouds blow over the city. Cas eventually wanders out to the living room and slides himself in with them. They end up rather like a nesting doll: Dean is on the bottom of the pile, Cas is next with his head on his husband's chest, and then comes Matteo, curled around Cas' belly. They're almost asleep when Cas shifts, yawns, murmurs something to Dean.

"Whazzat?" Dean slurs back.

"Promise me something?"

"Mm."

"Let's get through the rest of this pregnancy without any further incidents."

Dean smirks. He'd be fine with that. He brings his hand up to rest on Cas' belly. "Deal."

oOo


	8. April

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops- posted it without the second part! Sorry 'bout that.

Whoever writes the assembly instructions for furniture needs a reality check. That, or they're just a goddamn liar. Dean and Cas have been working on this crib for an hour. 'Simple and straightforward'...yeah, right. The back and one wall of the crib are standing on their own, at least, but the rest is a different story.

"...Okay, I got this end. How's it goin' down there?"

"Just a moment."

Now they're putting the front of the crib together. This means glueing one long piece of wood onto a row of shorter pieces, then bolting two more long pieces onto the ends and hoping it stands upright. Cas, armed with a screwdriver and rather thin patience, is putting the last screw in place. He pockets the screwdriver and nods to his husband. Slowly, they lean it against the existing wall, then step back. Seems stable enough. Dean gives it a shake; it rattles a bit, but stays standing.

"Alright. One more to go." he returns to the jumble of parts, picks up a pole and some wood glue, and gets to work. Cas sits down across from him, the motion making him wince a little. Dean glances up. "Girls doing gymnastics again?"

"Yes." Cas looks down at his belly. At eight months, even his maternity shirts are a little tight. A tiny movement underneath pushes skin and fabric outward; he sighs and rubs the spot.

Dean lets out a noise of astonishment. "Jeez, Cas, even **I** saw that one!"

"Mm. That was Baby A...she has spent most of the day stretching."

"Not much room for that."

"You're telling me..." Cas leans back, supporting his weight on his palms, and arches his back in a stretch of his own. "Just six more weeks."

"But who's counting, right?" Dean smirks.

"Actually, they-"

A small, groggy someone shuffles into the room. His parents look up from their work. "Hey, sleepyhead." says Dean. "You have a good nap?"

Matteo nods. He plunks himself down and nestles into his dad's side. "Hi daddy." he slurs. Then, with a hand on Cas' belly: "Hi babies."

"Hello, Matteo." says Cas with a smile. "Would you like to help put your sisters' crib together?"

Matteo considers this for a moment. "No."

"Alright."

"What were you gonna say, Cas?" Dean prompts.

"The twins are beginning to drop." Cas leans back again and runs a hand over his belly. It does seem lower now, maybe a bit less round. Dean's eyes widen.

"Already?? Isn't that kinda early? I thought that only happened right before labor."

"Not always...Matteo dropped at thirty weeks, and he was a day late." Matteo looks up at the sound of his name, but it's just grownup talk. Boring. He gets up and goes to look at the crib.

"Well maybe the girls will stay put a little longer, then." Dean glues a bar to the railing.

"Actually, I wouldn't mind if they came now..." Cas shifts uncomfortably. Do these girls sharpen their elbows or something? His husband chuckles.

"Don't give 'em any ideas."

He shakes his head. "They aren't going anywhere yet...Matteo, please don't play with those."

Matteo is stacking screws and bolts into little towers on the carpet. He does a good deer-in-the-headlights impression. "Why?"

"Because they're for the crib. If you want to play with something, go get your dinosaurs."

He frowns as though that's the stupidest idea he's ever heard. "I don't wanna play with my dinos."

"Then get a different toy, but you need to leave those alone."

He nods grudgingly and shuffles away to his room. His parents exchange glances. " **Someone** woke up cranky." Dean smirks. Cas just rolls his eyes. This evening is going to be a challenge. They work in silence for a few minutes until Matteo returns. In lieu of dinosaurs he brought cars, and a doll that Jo gave him for Christmas. He sits down - with his back to his parents - and races the cars back and forth, complete with sound effects.

"So." says Dean eventually. "Speaking of labor..."

Cas squints at him. His train of thought had already left that station; coming back takes a few moments. "What about it?"

"How're you feelin' about it? I mean, with what Dr. Adams said and everything."

"I don't know. Disappointed, I suppose. I was hoping to deliver here."

"Yeah, me too...but the hospital will be safer for you and the girls."

"I know that, but..." he shrugs and falls silent. It's hard to put this into words. He glances over at the crib; it's suspiciously quiet. "Matteo. I asked you not to play with those."

Matteo looks up. His doll is wearing a washer as a bracelet, and he's stuffing bolts into a hole in the crib railing. "I'm not." he says defiantly.

"Yes you are, we can both see you." says Dean. "Your dad already asked you to leave those alone. If you're not gonna listen, you can't be in here with us."

The little boy scowls. His lower lip threatens to tremble. "Pop...!" he whines.

"Uh-uh. None of that, you're already on strike one."

Now he's in a full-on huff. He throws his doll to the floor, crosses his arms, and slumps back against the wall. Clearly, things are not going as planned. "Matteo," says Cas gently, "you need to calm down, please."

" **No.** " he sticks his tongue out. One bare foot finds the crib wall and starts rocking it slowly back and forth.

"Hey. That's strike two, buster." Dean warns - and that's the last straw. Matteo plants his foot on the railing and shoves. And down it goes. It lands with a BANG just shy of his dad, who has to lurch back out of the way, and several bars come loose. Cas is on his feet with surprising speed for someone so pregnant.

"Strike three. Come on." he takes Matteo - who by now is wailing his displeasure - by the arm and leads him away. Dean, meanwhile, stands the crib wall back up and fits the bars back into place. Some of them need a little extra glue, so he takes care of that as well. Matteo's still crying, and he can hear Cas' stern voice in the background; he shakes his head. The closer Cas gets to his due date, the more obstinate Matteo gets...

His husband pads back into the room. He looks perfectly calm and composed. "Matteo can come out of time-out in ten minutes." he says lightly, and sits down like nothing happened. Dean can't help but laugh. If this is what life with Matteo is like, it's going to be insane once the twins are born.

-

"Matteo...?" Cas peeks into his son's room. The boy is curled on his bed, his back to the door. "May I come in?"...silence. He takes this as as a 'yes' and approaches the bed. Matteo doesn't look up; his eyes are fixed on the opposite wall. "What are you doing?"

"I dunno."

"Are you feeling alright?"

"I dunno."

Oh for goodness' sake. Cas sits down on the edge of the bed. "What's wrong?"

A pause. Matteo curls into a tighter ball. "I don' wanna be a big brother anymore."

"I thought you were excited about meeting your sisters."

"Nuh-uh."

"Why not?"

"'Cause." another pause. "You like them more than me."

Cas is so dumbfounded that for a few seconds, he can't speak. "Matteo, no, I - what makes you think that?"

"You always talk about them. You an' Pop. You're always busy."

"Well..." how do you explain something like this to a child? "Having a baby is a lot of work. We're going to be busy for a while." he fills the following silence by brushing a runaway curl off Matteo's forehead. "It doesn't mean we love you any less, sweetheart. I promise." Baby B adds her two cents by punching his spine; he winces before continuing. "We'll need your help, too, you know."

This gets his attention. He turns slightly; curious brown eyes look up at Cas. "Really?"

"Of course. You're their big brother; they need you to help take care of them." Baby B is still kicking around; it gives him an idea. He turns, angles himself toward Matteo. "And I think they're looking forward to meeting you." Matteo stares at his dad's belly. Cas knows that look - he's trying to be disinterested. But one hand raises, hesitates at his side. "Go ahead." he says gently. Matteo turns fully onto his back; the hand snakes out to rest on Cas' belly. Nothing moves for a split second. Then Baby B turns again. And Matteo, in spite of himself, splits into a grin.

"That's her?" Cas nods. He moves his hand to a different point. She kicks again, sleepily this time. "Do they do that a lot?"

"Mm-hmm."

"What does it feel like? Does it hurt?"

"Sometimes...mostly it feels like **this**." on a whim, Cas leans in and aims a playful poke to Matteo's bellybutton. He squeaks. Cas pokes him again, in the side and then in the back, until they're rolling around in a fit of giggles. It stops only when they're both red-faced and winded and the tension is thoroughly broken. Cas sits back. "Okay...okay." he wheezes. Both twins are going now. He massages his belly to calm them. Matteo is still catching his breath when the door slides open behind them. Cas turns around; Dean is in the doorway, looking bemused.

"Everything okay in here...?"

Cas looks from his son to himself and back. Matteo is still flushed, and they're both grinning ear-to-ear. He turns back to his husband. "Everything is fine."

 

oOo


	9. May

"Daddy...? Ellen an' Miss Jo are here. Pop wanted me to tell you."

Cas sits up as much as his belly will let him. Matteo is standing at his bedside, but steps back when he swings his legs over the edge. "Thank you, honey. I'll be right there." Matteo hurries away. Cas yawns and rubs at where Baby A has been kicking his ribs. Slept for two hours and he barely feels rested...he could sleep for a week and still not feel rested, at this point. Four more days, Cas. Just four more days. He puts his hands palm-down on the mattress. "Alright girls, let's go." he sighs. "One, two-" on 'three', he hauls himself upright. This may not have been the best idea; his belly propels him forward, and he sways for a few seconds before finding his balance. And then, just for good measure, Baby A kicks him again - right in the spine. The force of the kick almost punches the breath from his lungs. His back's already in knots, he doesn't need this. "Please don't do that." he wheezes. "I know you're running out of room, but don't take it out on me." he feels her turn, settle in a different position, and breathes his thanks. "Come on. People are waiting for us."

"Hey, there he is!" Ellen is the first to catch sight of him (how can she not, he's huge). She hugs him around his belly, then stands back to look him up and down. "How are you, hon?"

"Very, very pregnant."

"Well, at least it's not mid-summer. I had Jo right in the middle of August; you can imagine how much fun that was."

Cas groans. "All too well." then he puts a hand on his lower back and looks around for a place to sit. That's enough standing for now. Jo herself gets up from a dining room chair and offers it to him. "Thank you, Jo." he slides into the chair gratefully, but tries to avoid her gaze; he hates being the center of attention. This is his baby shower, though, so he has to at least try...as long as he can go back to his nap later.

Dean walks in from the living room, accompanied by two more guests: Kevin Tran and Charlie. Kevin stops short at the sight of him.

"Oh. Wow."

Cas is too tired to be annoyed by this. It's a baby shower, what did you expect? He just smiles and waves, and Kevin wanders away. Dean, on the other hand, gravitates to his chair as though pulled by a magnet.

"Hey handsome. How you feelin'?"

If he hears that question one more time..."How do you think I'm feeling?" tired, sore...as far from 'handsome' as he's ever been, honestly. Dean flashes him a lopsided smile.

"If you wanna just disappear for a while, no one'd hold it against you."

"No. I'm the reason they're here in the first place."

"Fair enough." Dean leans in for a quick kiss, then disappears.

-

Sam has always felt out-of-place at parties. He's not a social person, and he's too tall and lanky to be comfortable so close to so many people. He's enjoying himself here, though (of course it helps that Gabriel's here too, but y'know). He doesn't even mind the mushy stuff all that much. It's just good to see Bobby and Ellen and Jo and everyone else.

They all mingle and chat for a while before the actual party. Then come the presents (typical baby stuff - toys, diapers, clothes, etc.), and some kind of fruity dessert that Ellen brought. Then it's back to mingling. Castiel sort of keeps to himself for most of it; that shouldn't be surprising, since he's only a few days short of his due date. But something just doesn't sit right with Sam. Something's off with Cas and it's bothering him, even though he can't quite name it. There's a tension about him, like he's consciously trying to hold himself together. But then again, Sam's never been pregnant. This might just be par for the course.

He should've listened to his suspicions.

Four hours into the party, people are mostly chatting amongst themselves. Cas has gone to the bedroom to find something for Dean, and the apartment is a little calmer - Matteo has even fallen asleep on the couch. Sam takes advantage of the quiet to slip away to the bathroom.

He's just going back down the hall when he hears...something from the bedroom. A voice? He calls back, just in case.

"Is someone there?" Cas' voice. Sam heads toward it.

"It's Sam. Do you need something...?"

"No, I..." a few shuffling noises. "Yes."

Sam's almost afraid of what he might see. But he opens the door anyway - and sees only Cas.

A very pale Cas, crouched next to the bed, breathing hard and in obvious pain.

Oh god. Sam zeroes in on him at once and, of course, asks the one unnecessary question: "Are you okay?" Cas gives a quick shake of his head.

"I need you to go and find Dean." he says, his voice tight.

"Why-"

"Just- tell him I need to speak to him. Urgently. Tell him 'all systems go'. He will know what it means."

Sam is out the door and down the hall before he knows what's happened. Dean. Find Dean. Oh god, of course this had to happen today...

"Sammy? What's up?"

Dean found him first. Green eyes are searching his face and he can tell something's wrong; he's usually the one to fret, not Sam. Sam takes a deep breath, tries to focus. "Cas needs to talk to you. Now."

"About what?"

"I don't know, but he wanted me to say 'all systems go'. He said you'd know what it means-" he can actually see the color drain from his brother's face. "-and...apparently it's something bad."

"No. Not bad, just, um...son of a bitch." he trails off and sprints for the bedroom. Sam doesn't know what else to do but follow. Dean is helping Cas up onto the bed when he gets there, both of them speaking in low tones.

"...just broke, but they're already very close." Cas' voice is still tight. Dean follows his gaze to Sam.

"Sammy, need your help. Cas is in labor." suddenly he's all business. "I need you to go out there, tell everyone what's happening. See if you can get us a ride to the hospital."

Back in the main room, the party is picking up speed again. He takes a deep breath. "Everyone? I, uh...I need your attention-" that was barely even a squeak. Damn. He clears his throat to try again. But before he can even open his mouth, Gabriel - who he hadn't even noticed until now - stands up from the couch.

"Everyone shut up, Sam's tryna talk!!" he bellows. Dead silence. He sits back down, calm as you please, and nods to his boyfriend. All eyes are on Sam.

"I, uh..." he falters. Just cut to the chase, Sam. "Castiel's going into labor." a surprised sussurus goes around the room. "I hate to do this to you, but I think it would be best if everybody just went home." he finds Ellen's face in the group. "Ellen, can you and Bobby stay here with Matt?"

She nods, then fishes a keyring out of her pocket and tosses it to him. "Good luck, honey."

He nods back. They'll need all the luck they can get. As he turns to go back to the bedroom, he hears Bobby add, "Try not to crash this one." it's a joke, or it's supposed to be, but he's too frazzled to react. He runs into Dean and Cas halfway down the hall; Cas has changed into sweatpants and is leaning on his husband as he walks. Sam holds up the keys for Dean to see.

"Awesome. Let's go."

The apartment is already empty save for Bobby, Ellen, and Matteo (who, mercifully, is still asleep). Dean and Sam are out the door with Cas as fast as he can shuffle. Down the hall, into the elevator, down to the lobby. Not once does Cas let go of Dean. Sam sprints into the parking lot to find the car, leaving them alone by the double doors. Cas stands with one hand on the wall and the other on his belly, all his focus shifted inward. Dean hovers nearby, trying to both keep an eye on him and watch for Sam. A concerned passerby approaches; he waves them away. Suddenly Cas lets out a great whooshing breath, as though he's been punched in the stomach, and Dean turns just in time to see him sag against the wall. He puts a hand on his shoulder.

"You sure you don't want us to call an ambulance?"

" **Yes**. Don't touch me-" Cas groans and shrugs the hand away. Sixty seconds later, he's only halfway through when Sam pulls up to the curb. Dean tries to communicate this to his brother; it comes out as mostly hand-flapping. In the end Sam just gets out of the car, and together they help Cas into the back seat. Dean climbs in the other side.

"How long was that one?"

Cas takes a few deep breaths before answering. "Four minutes. If that."

Dean meets his brother's gaze in the rearview mirror. "Sammy-"

Sam doesn't answer. He jams the key in the ignition, turns it, and they're off.

oOo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued~


	10. May - part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the long wait!

Dean is freaking out. He's trying to do it quietly, the last thing they need is more chaos, but this is not right. This isn't how it's supposed to go. Especially not during the goddamn baby shower. Ironically, Cas is the calmest person in the car right now, although he looks like he might burst at the seams any moment. At least one of them is calm. Dean's never seen his brother drive like this before.

"Of course there's traffic. Five o'clock on a Saturday, why not?" he grouses, changing lanes and passing the speed limit by a few more miles. A semi truck honks at him; he honks back. "You guys okay?" he adds over his shoulder.

"Fine," croaks Cas, "for now. But I don't...oh no-" he leans forward, hands on his knees, and Dean reaches out without thinking. "Don't. Touch. Me." Cas snarls between breaths. He withdraws his hand. That was three minutes. He's heard news stories about babies being delivered halfway to the hospital; looks like they might be one of those stories.

The contraction ends. Cas slides down in his seat. "That was worse." he groans. "There's so much pressure..."

"Are you gonna make it...?" Dean asks, not sure if he wants to know the answer.

"I...I think so." Cas swallows hard. "Just hurry."

-

When they pull into the parking lot at the hospital, Cas has had at least three more contractions, but remains silent all the way through them. They can't be more than a minute apart at this point.

Dean undoes his seatbelt and leans across to help Cas with his. "Cas, we're here. D'you think you can walk?" Cas shakes his head. Sam gets out and hightails it toward a row of wheelchairs at the curb. "So much for the birth plan, huh?" says Dean with a smirk. It's not even funny, but he has to fill the silence.

Cas makes a noncommittal sound. "She's so low already..."

"Which one?"

"A." his hand slides down to the underside of his belly. "I can feel her head."

Now Dean smiles in earnest. "See, you're halfway there."

The door on Cas' side opens on Sam and a wheelchair. He stands back a few steps. "Your chariot awaits." he quips. He's met only with frantic gesturing from Cas, though, as another contraction picks up speed. They have no choice but to wait until it's over. Then, at his 'okay', they help him from car to chair and set off across the parking lot.

-

The nurses who greet them are quick and efficient. Before they know it they're at the maternity ward, then a nurses' station, then they're being ushered into a room. The contractions are coming one on top of the other now; Cas actually fights against the nurses who go to lift him onto the bed.

"Wait- wait, I can't- I have to push-"

He makes good on that threat as soon as he hits the mattress, splaying his legs as wide as possible. His face flushes red. When the contraction ends, he relaxes only long enough to scoot up on the bed. Immediately the nurses move in again, stripping off his sweatpants and making adjustments. Dean takes advantage of the pause to slip in next to him. 

"Okay, Castiel, whenever you're ready."

This time when Cas pushes, a low cry escapes him - the first since this whole thing started, and loud enough to make Dean jump.

"That's good, you're halfway there." another nurse has settled herself at the end of the bed to hold his knees still; she smiles up at him, but he's dead to the world. He wastes no time in pushing again, riding on the tail-end of the contraction until he's out of breath.

"Get her out, get her out, it burns-"

"You're doing it yourself, Castiel. Just keep pushing." she doesn't bat an eye. It takes a lot to rattle a nurse. And Cas does as he's told as soon as the next contraction starts up. His voice rises to a scream, and his hand finds his husband's and squeezes so hard Dean has to bite back a yell of his own. It works: the head's out. He can rest for a moment. The nurse is busy between Cas' legs, clearing the baby's airways and giving everyone a few seconds of quiet. But it doesn't last. The next contraction is on him like a tidal wave, and suddenly his focus is gone. A look of panic spreads across his face as though he just realized what's happening. 

"Dean..." he gasps.

"It's okay, Cas, I'm right here." he squeezes his husband's hand. "You got this." whether Cas heard him or not, he doesn't know. But his focus returns, and he bears down again. Five seconds, ten...and then the nurse is reaching down to lift a tiny, bloody infant onto Cas' belly. The response is immediate. His hands go right to her, graze over her back and head and little bowed legs as though making sure she's real.

"Hi. Hi, sweetheart."

"Oh my god, Cas." Dean's smile is as big as the whole world. The nurse leans in to cut the cord, and the jostling startles the baby into crying. Her tiny body shakes with the force of it. Cas gathers her up and tucks her head under his chin, just like he did with Matteo once upon a time...it's been three years, but the memory this little gesture brings up is just as strong. The emotions, too. His breath catches in his throat, coming out in undignified little hiccup. He tries (unsuccessfully) to cover it by leaning down and kissing his husband's forehead. Then he lays his hand on the baby's head, and Cas lays his own hand on top of it, but the nurse speaks up before either of them.

"Don't get too comfortable up there," she reminds them. "we've still got one to go."

Cas sags a little, as though he'd forgotten. He glances down; his belly, though smaller, is already tightening again. So he hands the baby to Dean and waits for the next round. He doesn't have long to wait - it hits hard and fast, harder than any of the ones before it. His body takes over and pushes, forcing the air from his lungs in a high keening sound that makes Dean's hair stand on end. Baby B is larger than her sister; this one won't be as easy. Another contraction comes, and another and another, and Cas pushes until his chest is heaving.

"Baby needs a little more room to work with...try and bring your knees to your chest with the next one, okay?" the nurse is working between his legs again. Is there supposed to be that much blood? Cas does as he's told and pulls his knees up and back as the contraction peaks. Whatever that did, it must have been successful: instead of keening, he yells his way through the push. The nurse gently pats his knee. "I know. It's going to hurt. But trust me, it's working."

Baby A squirms against Dean's chest. Trying to split his attention between her and Cas is proving difficult. One of the other nurses seems to sense this and quietly offers to take her. He hands her over, torn between relief and reluctance. His focus is quickly shifted, however, when Cas lets out another yell, and he gravitates right back to him. His husband's face is flushed red; blue eyes stare up through the ceiling. "You're so close," says Dean. "I'm so proud of you, Cas." Cas gives him a weak smile before curling forward to push again.

"Good, she's almost crowning!" the nurse smiles. "Okay, slowly, slowly now, gentle pushes...here she comes..." Cas hisses through his teeth as the baby crowns fully, then his features suddenly relax. "There she is. Alright, Castiel, one more big push for the shoulders." he throws himself into one final, determined heave. And for the second time that day, Dean watches in awe as their daughter slides into the world. She starts crying almost instantly. So does Dean, to his surprise. He rubs his eyes one-handed as the nurse hands the baby to Cas, and his heart just about overflows. It's such a cliché. He couldn't care less. He swoops down, closes the space between himself and Cas and the baby. Cas is crying too; his eyes are shining with all kinds of emotions. It's over. Everything from the past nine months - the uncertainty, the fear, all of it - is gone, and these two little newborns have filled the space left behind.

A tiny hand flops against Cas' chin. The baby's cries are winding down, but she's flailing around like she doesn't know what to do in this big, wide space. He catches her hand, watches it close around his finger, and presses a kiss to it. "You don't know how glad I am to meet you." he whispers.

"She was certainly in a hurry to meet you." says the nurse, whom they had almost forgotten about. "They both were." she ties off the cord and reaches for the scissors.

Cas huffs out a sigh. "I would gladly take this over another fifteen-hour labor."

"Another-?" Dean raises an eyebrow.

"Matteo."

"Jeez Cas, you never told me that...!" 

"It's not important." Baby B starts to cry again, as though annoyed at no longer being the center of attention. He lays a protective hand over her back. "Shh, it's alright. I've got you." another cry, from a different part of the room, gets his attention; he looks around, suddenly concerned. "Where is she?"

"Who?"

"A."

"Right here." another nurse appears with Baby A in their arms. They hand her to Dean, and he holds her close. Cas cranes his neck up to see her.

"They're gorgeous, Cas." Dean whispers. "You were...you were so amazing."

Cas smiles, his eyes already heavy. "So were you."

"Yeah, well, I'm not the one who just gave birth. Twice." Cas makes a noncommittal sound. They aren't out of the woods yet; there's still the afterbirth and a hundred other things to deal with, but he can't quite bring himself to care just now. Baby A squirms and lets out a soft mewling cry. He turns his gaze to her, really seeing her for the first time. She's beautiful. And evidently not pleased with the situation - her cries take on a whiny tone that immediately draws Cas' attention. Dean passes her off to him.

Cas whispers to her, soothes and rocks her like an old pro. Soon both twins are resting calm and quiet in his arms, and Dean has never seen anyone look so happy. Cas looks at his husband, seated on the bed beside him. "Dean, they're here." he breathes. "We did it."

Dean brushes his lips with a kiss. "Yeah, we did."

oOo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like the story so far, please leave a comment - I'd love to hear from you!
> 
> -
> 
> ...and thus (almost) ends the last fic in the series I never meant to write. Again, apologies for the long wait; keep an eye out for the epilogue!


	11. Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is almost entirely new-family fluff. You have been warned.

It's 9:00 am. Everyone in the hospital room is asleep save for Dean. He stands at the window, watching a late-Spring storm roll across the distant hills. The hospital is still bustling with activity, though he barely notices; he's still reeling from yesterday. He's a dad. For the second time in three years. He can't get over it. The twins had to stay overnight for observation, but they're healthy and beautiful and Cas is safe. And that's really all that matters. His phone buzzes, startling him; he pulls it out of his pocket. Sam's name glows on the screen above a capslock text:

ON OUR WAY

He smirks. That's Sammy for you. He went home pretty soon after Cas was admitted, but he's been texting ever since. Dean sends a quick 'OK' back to him and pockets his phone. A machine beeps to itself in the corner; a nurse runs by, shouting orders. He wanders back to his armchair bed and sits down. It's still uncomfortable. He and Cas didn't get much sleep last night, mostly due to the twins but also due to the nurses appearing to check on them at all hours. Cas is already so bonded to the girls; he's waking up to the slightest sound or movement from either baby. Dean's half-tempted to take them elsewhere for a while, just so the poor guy can get some sleep...

Speak of the devil: from the bassinet comes a soft, thin cry. Dean is up and across the room in a heartbeat, but by then both twins have worked themselves into a state.

"Hey, angelfish. What's wrong?" he lifts one squalling baby out of the bassinet and holds her close. Getting her sister out is more of a challenge. He manages eventually, cradling one twin in each arm, but it's awkward as hell. He's not as good at this as his husband. "Shh, you're okay. You're okay." please go back to sleep, please-

"Dean...?"

Damn. Dean turns around; Cas is sitting up in bed, or trying to. "Is something wrong?" he asks drowsily.

"The girls are just fussy. Go back to sleep, I'll take care of it."

Right on cue, Baby A turns up the volume. Startled by the noise, B quickly follows suit, and Dean knows he's lost. His husband raises an eyebrow. He walks to the bed, twins still in tow, and sits down; Cas takes A from his arms.

"It's alright," he murmurs as he rocks her. "I'm right here." he pulls her little knit hat further down her forehead, and she cries even harder. "Yes, I know. I hear you."

Dean smirks. "Sixteen hours old, and they've already got us around their little fingers."

And they wouldn't have it any other way.

Having apparently made her point, B stops crying. Cloudy blue eyes try to bring the room into focus. "Good morning." says Dean. "Remember me?" he has to bite back a laugh when she turns toward him. Even with the myopic squint of a newborn, that's Cas' stare, furrowed brow and all.

"Holy crap."

"What?"

"She's already got your look."

"Hm."

The two men sit and take in every detail of their daughters, marvel at how much the tiny infants resemble them and each other. They didn't get to do this when Matteo was born. They barely knew each other then, of course, but it feels important to do it now. Every little movement and sound is a discovery. Castiel's eyes shine with the same light as when Matteo was born; this must be why they call new parents 'radiant'. Eventually A decides she's hungry; getting her to latch on for a meal provides enough of a distraction to break the spell.

"Abigail and Charlotte...?" it's not a question so much as trying out the names. Dean angles an eyebrow at Cas.

A considering pause. "I'm sure Charlie would appreciate the namesake..."

"But no?"

"I think not."

"Yeah, me neither." B blinks up at Dean. "Alice and Freya?"

"Ava and Ella."

"I don't think she's an Ella."

"Which one?"

"Neither of 'em...I like Ava, though." he nods to Baby A. "What do you think?"

A smile blooms on Cas' face. "Ava. I like it." he draws his fingers across the baby's downy cheek. "Hello, Ava."

Dean grins as well. "Now we gotta decide what to call you, kiddo." he says to Baby B. Then to Cas: "Any ideas?" Cas shakes his head. "Aren't there any names from your family? I mean, ones you like?"

Cas stares his husband down for a few moments as though deciding whether to answer. "I can only remember a few, and none of them are names I would want to burden my daughters with."

"Try me."

"There's Sariel-"

"That one's pretty."

"-Ramiel, Nuriel, Charmeine, Hadraniel, Zadkiel, Haniel, Zuriel, Lailah, Sandalphon..."

"I thought you said there were only a few!" Dean laughs.

"You're the one who asked."

"You forgot Erelah and Raziel." says a new voice. Gabriel is leaning on the doorframe, wearing a modest shirt and a grin that's anything but. He nods in greeting. "Can we come in?"

"Good morning, Gabriel." suddenly Cas looks even more tired than before. He moves A from his chest to his shoulder and gently pats her tiny back. Dean notes - with some satisfaction - that Gabriel's air of confidence evaporates as soon as he enters the room. Here is a man who's not used to small children. He stops short a few feet shy of the bed and watches, with some trepidation, as Cas burps the baby and settles her back in his arms. Only then does he seem to remember himself.

"Congratulations, guys."

Dean and Cas smile their thanks, too tired to do much else. "You can get closer," Dean adds. "they don't bite. Yet." he moves over to make room and shoots his brother-in-law a sly glance. Gabriel takes the offer, looking as though he meant to do it all along. "Where's Sam?"

"He's-" Gabriel looks back at the empty doorway. "-right behind me, allegedly. I dunno. He'll be here." Gabriel eyes the newborn in his brother's arms. "I, uh...I hear you had a tough time of it yesterday."

Cas shrugs. "Precipitous labor. According to Dr. Adams, I was likely in labor for much of the day, even before my water broke."

"Jesus, Cas...glad you waited 'till after the party."

"Waiting has very little to do with it-"

The brothers are interrupted suddenly by a six-foot moose bursting into the room. Sam leans on the doorframe for the space of a few breaths, then looks over his shoulder. "I win!"

Matteo skids to a halt at his uncle's feet. "Nuh-uh! You're jus' tall!" he retorts. Then he catches sight of Dean and is suddenly shy. "...hi Pop."

"Hey Matt. You hooligans causing trouble out there?" Dean grins. Matteo shakes his head, vehement but unconvincing. Sam crouches, points to Dean and Cas, whispers something to his nephew; the boy looks from his uncle to his parents and back.

"Go say hi, it's okay." Sam prompts him. Slowly, step by step, Matteo approaches the hospital bed. Gabriel hoists him up.

"Good morning, Matteo." says Cas, with a smile in his voice. "I'm sorry we disappeared yesterday." Matteo cranes his neck. His eyes are wide and fixed on the bundle in his dad's arms.

"Izzat the baby?" he says, as though all the wonders of the world were before him.

"Mm-hmm."

His gaze travels further down. "It's not in your belly anymore."

Cas' laugh is gentle, mostly tired. "No, it isn't."

Matteo frowns. This can't be right. "You said there was two babies."

"Psst." Dean chimes in behind him. When Matteo turns around, he nods to the bundle in his own arms. The little boy nods sagely. Of course. "What do you think, buddy?"

From one twin to the other, back and forth as though comparing them. At length Matteo turns his gaze to Cas. "They're my sisters?"

"Both of them." Cas nods.

"You're a big brother now, kiddo!" says Gabriel from the head of the bed, where he's moved to join Sam. Realization dawns across his nephew's face. Braver now, he edges forward to peer at Baby A.

"Can I say hi...?"

Cas angles the newborn toward Matteo. Reflex throws her little fists up over her head; she wrinkles her nose. Her brother leans in close, studying every movement. "Hi, baby." his voice is just a breath, barely audible. "My name's Matt. I'm your big brother." he cocks his head. "You're really tiny. And kinda wrinkly."

Beside them, Sam bites back a laugh. Gabriel elbows him none-too-gently in the ribs. "Don't ruin the moment, Sasquatch." Sam forces his face straight.

"Have you guys thought of names yet?"

"That one's Ava." Dean gestures to Cas' armful of blankets. "Still thinking of names for this girl."

"How 'bout Astronaut?" Matteo pipes up.

"That's not really a name, buddy."

"Oh."

Baby A - Ava, now - cracks her eyes open to see what all the fuss is about. Sam moves in, leans over to look at her. Cas looks up; he smiles almost guiltily. "Just looking."

"You can hold her if you like." Cas offers. Sam reacts as though invited to hold a large spider.

"No, that's okay, I don't- I mean, I wouldn't want to-"

"Go ahead, Sammy." his brother cuts in. "She's not gonna break."

It doesn't take much convincing. Sam takes one more nervous look at Dean and sits gingerly down on the bed. Seconds later his niece is in his arms, squinting up at this peculiar blurry giant towering over her. And, like the sap his brother knows he is, Sam melts. His eyes soften, he relaxes his rigid hold on her. Caregiving instincts at their best.

"Hi Ava." he takes her tiny hand in his own huge one. "I'm Sam." his mouth quirks up in a half-smile. "You and your sister are pretty lucky girls, you know that?" Dean snorts with feigned exasperation behind him. "You've got an awesome big brother, and two of the best dads in the world." 

"Alright, enough mushy stuff. You're gonna make everyone sick." his brother tries to grumble through a smile. Sam smirks, but they both know he means it.

Matteo interrupts by tugging on his dad's shirtsleeve. Like all three-year-olds, he hates to be left out of anything. Dean turns around. "What's up, buddy?"

"I wanna hold a baby too!" he almost whines.

"Can you ask a little more nicely?"

The boy frowns, but rephrases his demand anyway. "Can I please hold th' baby?"

"That's much better." he repositions the baby in his arms. "What d'you think, Cas, can he hold her?" Cas nods distractedly. He's already falling asleep again. "Okay, scoot over a little-" several moments of instruction follow, ending with Matteo sitting cross-legged, holding his baby sister more or less in his lap. He giggles.

"She looks like a caterpillar!"

"Yeah, kinda. But look, there are her hands, and her feet are down there..."

Matteo listens studiously as Dean talks. The baby sleeps on, oblivious to it all; nearby, Gabriel and Sam talk in hushed voices. Suddenly Cas speaks up.

"Grace." all eyes turn to him. "Her name is Grace."

"Okay." Dean has long since learned to just go with it when Cas gets adamant about things. "Why Grace...?"

"It's...one of the names I had picked out for Matteo." he looks at Dean. They both know what he's trying not to say. But they let it go; Dean gazes down at his daughter.

"Welcome to the family, Grace."

Gabriel, still watching from the sidelines, cracks a grin of his own. "Ava and Grace...god, you guys are cute. I want one." he turns to his boyfriend. "Sam-"

Sam interrupts him with a nervous laugh. It can be hard to tell if Gabe's joking or not. "I'm not a carrier, you know that."

"I am."

"And that's a discussion for another time." adds Dean, seeing his brother's astonishment. Some things you just don't wanna hear about. He turns his attention back to Matteo and baby Grace. The boy is talking to his sister, mostly in gibberish, but she's entranced. Her little blue eyes stare right into his. Dean smiles. "You like your sisters, buddy?" Matteo nods.

And then it occurs to Dean that this is it. This - this life, all of it - is where he's supposed to be. He looks over at his husband, drowsy but watchful, and something clicks. He looks different. That part of him that always seemed perpetually lost is gone. And the person behind it is the real Castiel: the person Dean caught a glimpse of on the night Matteo was born, and the person he fell in love with in the first place. He's happy. More than that, he's whole again.

He's home.

~~  《○○○●●○○○》  ~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One year and several thousand words later, it's (finally) over. I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

**Author's Note:**

> If you like the story so far, please leave a comment- I'd love to hear from you!


End file.
